1956 Topps #60 Mayo Smith
1956 Topps #60 Mayo Smith
About Mayo Smith
Edward Mayo "Catfish" Smith, pictured on card #60 as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, signed with the minor-league Toronto Maple Leafs at 18 in 1933 and spent more than a decade in the minors before reaching the majors as a wartime call-up. He played just one big-league season, appearing in 73 games as an outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1945 and batting .212. Turning to managing, Smith was named Phillies skipper on October 14, 1954, and led the club from 1955 through 1958, his best finish a 77-77 fourth-place season in 1957. He later managed the Cincinnati Reds (1959) before finding lasting fame with the Detroit Tigers (1967-1970). Smith guided the 1968 Tigers to 103 wins and a seven-game World Series triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals, earning The Sporting News Manager of the Year honors; his gutsy decision to shift center fielder Mickey Stanley to shortstop for the Series became one of baseball's most celebrated managerial gambles. Nicknamed "Catfish" in high school after Georgia football star Vernon "Catfish" Smith, he died in 1977. This is a Series 1 double-print, and like other early-series cards it exists with both the common white back and the scarcer gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Double Print
An uncut Series-1 sheet (110 cards, 10x11) shows 20 cards were double-printed - modestly more plentiful than their series-mates. The list happily includes #30 Jackie Robinson and #31 Hank Aaron. The only print-quantity designation in the set (there is no recognized short-print run).
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 958 | 0 | 21 | 248 | 294 | 207 | 101 | 87 | 0 |
| SGC | 73 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 257 · White Back 701
SGC by variation: Gray Back 38 · White Back 35
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Mayo Smith card?
It is card #60 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the Philadelphia Phillies manager.
Does the 1956 Topps Mayo Smith have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Mayo Smith valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.